Surface condenser



March v. A. MILLER ET AI. 2,M1,867

sURFAcE'coNDENsER `Filed Jan. 11, 1957 /0 fl E u BAFFLE f2 I AIL `l a /4 9 *1, 5. 7 I vomi-'Ice A g E VACUUM SIDE 7' oF coNoENsER J coNnsNsER 3 E WATER Box ooNDENsaR 2 6\ A 1&0- a WM I l y@ WILH- BY @MfS/@w ATTORNEY.

Patented Mar. 22, 1938 PATENT OFFICE 2,111,867V SURFACE CONDENSER Victor A. Miller and Charles S. Olson,

' Duluth, Minn.

Application January 11, 1937, Serial No.'120,006

-5 Claims.

Our invention relates to means and method for automatically removing air pockets from surface condenserwater boxes, such as used in connection with turbine engines or the like, or automatically controlling the height of water from othercontainers in which a vacuum ismaintained.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a simple device of this character and one operable by a vacuum.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear in the following description thereof.

Referring now to the accompanying drawing, forming part of this application, and wherein like .reference characters indicate like parts:

'I'he figure is a diagrammatic view, partly in elevation and partly in section, illustrating one end of a condenser water'box as associated with a turbine engine.

Referring now particularly to the figure, the numeral I represents the vacuumside of a standard turbine condenser' and 2 the-'water box at the entrance and discharge side of the condenser, 3 representing the intake of the water box and 4 the discharge thereof.

' It has been determined that in such a device the eiiciency of a condenser of this type is materially reduced by the collection and trapping of air in and about that portionof the box 2 in close proximity to the ,connection of the discharge 4,'

and vtondispense with such trapping of air is the principal object of -the invention. To this end a' container illustrated at 5 is conveniently positioned near the water box 2, and in which suicient water is maintained to nearly fill the standpipe 6, its lowermost end being installed within said container 5, which latter is provided with an overijlow pipe I5 somewhat below the upper terminus thereof. The standpipe 6 is somewhat longer than required to ipaintain a column of water 34' 6" in height, this being the normal height of water maintained by atmospheric pressure in a vacuum. At the upper end ofthe standpipe is attached the trap 1, having a v4depending division tion pipe III, its opposite end communicating as at.V

wall or baille 8 therein, extending downwardly a considerable distance therein and below the lateral intake pipe connection 9 upon one side of the trap, while upon the opposite side of the baille and through the top ofthe trap is the air sucsuiiicient experimentation to determine the propl er size for such oriiice4 connection.l

It will be noted that aportion of the water tubes in the condenser is illustrated at I6, there being a nest of such tubes extending from the water box at the opposite end not shown to that illustrated at 2,

From the above it is apparent that when the device is connected as shown with ,the valves I2 and I3 open and the orifice connection properly made that the vacuum within the condenser will tend to-produce a like' condition in the trap 1 which will raise the water in the standpipe 6 in proportion to the number of inches of such vacuum and simultaneously produce suction in the branch pipe llfrom the trap leading to the dangerous zone adjacent the water 'discharge of the condenser water box, thus freeing the discharge from trapping of yany air therein. As the air with possibly some water is discharged into the trap I such discharge will fall, the water by.

gravity into the stanvdpipe E, and the air therewith to below the baille 8 when it will be drawn upwardly and through the pipe III into the vacuum side of the condenser. As the column' of water in the standpipe increases ln volume it will obviously be cared for bygravity through the well 5 and its overow pipe I5.

Having' thus -described our invention, what we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1u 'Ihe combination with a receptacle wherein a vacuum is maintained and a container subject to air pockets therein, of means operable by the vacuum in said receptacle for removing said air pockets, said means comprising a trap, a connection from said receptacle to said trap, a connection from said container to said trap, and a hydrostatic column depending from said trap into av body of water, whereby the suction of the vacuum in said receptacle automatically removes air pockets from said container.

, 2. Means for removing air pockets from lthe cooling water box of a surface condenser by the vacuum maintained therein, said means compris ing a trap, a controlled connection from said trap to said water box, a controlled connection from said' trap to the vacuum sideof said condenser, and a hydrostatic column depending from said trap and extending into a receptacle having in said water box will be drawn to the condenser by the vacuum maintained therein.

3. Means for removing airpockets from the cooling water box of a surface condenser comprising a trap, la' connection fromv said trapto said water box, 'a/.connection from said trap-to the an overflow therefrom, whereby air pockets withvacuum side of said condenser whereby the vacuum therein will draw air thereto through said connections and trap from the water box, a hydrostatic column depending from said trap, and a well into which the lower end of said column extends.

4. Means for removing air pockets from the cooling water box of a surface condenser comprising a hydrostatic column adapted to extend into a body of liquid, a connection from the vacuum side of said condenser to the upper end of the hydrostatic column, and a connection from the water box to the upper end of said hydro.

static column, whereby air pockets within said /water box will be drawn to said condenser by the vacuum maintained therein.

5. In a surface condenser, the combination with the condensing chamber thereof wherein a vacuum is maintained and the cooling water box thereof subject to air pockets therein, of a connection from said condensing chamber to said 

